For millions of Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama is a symbol of resistance. For Chinese dictator Xi Jinping, he is simply another annoyance, like with the rebels in Taiwan and the democracy campaigners in Hong Kong, whose defiance must, and will, be dealt with.
We know that Xi, the most powerful and ruthless Chinese leader in a generation, has little time for religion, unless it’s the carefully curated cult of Xi himself. Organised religion is a threat to his authority and his vision for China and the world.
